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Bible Echo and Signs of the Times for 1888

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Bible Echo and Signs of the Times for 1888 " Sanctify them through thy truth; thy Word is truth." John 17:17. 7/blame 3. .31FLROUVXE,- 711CraVI.71, JULY, /888. .7rumber 7. says he, " before the God of heaven," He knew that devoted to earnest prayer, care-filled days, dark with TiVa (tan ffiigno all this ruin had come because of the transgressions of the shadow of hdpe deferred, leave their trace upon his ISSUED MONTHLY Israel ; and in deep humiliation he came before God countenance. The keen eye of the monarch, jealous to for the f,,r pardon of sin and a renewal of the divine favor. guard his own safety, is accustomed to read counte- „IOU tornakutAN :mita NCII He addressed his petitions to the God of heaven, " the nances and to penetrate disguises. Seeing that some of the great and terrible God ;" for such the Lord had shown secret trouble is preying upon servant, he suddenly international Fract and Missionary -Society. himself to be in the fearful judgments brought upon inquires, " Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou Price per year, 3s. 6d., Post-paid. Israel. But with a gleam of hope, Nehemiah con- art not sick ? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart." ---0— tinues : " That keepeth covenant and mercy with them This question fills the listener with apprehension. Devoted to the promulgation of moral and „social reforms, from a that love him and observe his commandments." For Will not the king be angry to hear that while out- purely Bible standpoint. Address all communications to Echo Publishing House, Rae and repentant and believing Israel there was still mercy. wardly engaged in his service, the courtier's thoughts Scotchmer Streets, North Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria. Faithfully the man of God makes confession of his have been far away with his afflicted people ? Will sins and the sins of his people : "'Let-thine .ear now not the offender's life be forfeited'? And his cherished BItJIOLD YOUR KING. be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayst hear plan for restoring the strength of Jerusalem—;s it not the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee about to be overthrown ? " Theta," he says, " I was "B hold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow." Lam. now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy serv- very sore afraid." With trembling lips and tearful 1:12. 11-Eno1,D your King I Though the moonlight steals ants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, eyes he reveals the cause of his sorrow,—the city, Through the silvery shade of the olive tree, which we have sinned against thee ; both I and My which is the place of his fathers' sepulchers, lying waste, No star-gemmed sceptre or crown it reveals father's house have sinned, We have dealt very cor- and its gates consumed with fire. The touching re- In the solemn shades of Gethsemane ; Only a form of prostrate grief, ruptly against thee, and have not kept the command- cital awakens the sympathy of the monarch without Fallen, crushed, like a broken leaf. ments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou arousing his idolatrous prejudices ; another question Oh, think of this sorrow, that we may know commandedst thy servant Moses." gives the opportunity which Neheiniah has long sought: The ,depth of love in the depth of woe I And now, taking fast hold, by faith, of the divine " For what dost thou make request ?" But the man Behold your King ! Is it nothing to you promise. Nehemiah lays down at the footstool of of God does not reply until he has first asked the sup- That the crimson tokens of agony heavenly mercy his petition that God would maintain port of One higher than Aartaxerxes. "I prayed," From the kingly brow must fall like dew, the cause of his now penitent people, restore their he says, " to the God of heaven." rhrough the shuddering shades of Gethsemane? Jesus himself, the Prince of life, strength, and build up their waste places. God had A precious lesson is this for all Christians. When- Bows in mysterious mortal strife. been faithful to his threatenings when his people sepa- ever we are brought into positions of difficulty or dan- Oh. think of this sorrow, that we may know rated from him ; he had scattered them abroad among ger, even when surrounded by those who love and fear The unknown love in the unknown woe I the nations, according to his word. And Nehemiah not God, the heart may send up its cry for help, 'and Behold your King, with his sorrow crowned I finds in this very fact an 'assurance that he will be there is One who has 'promised that he will come to Alone, alone in the valley is he I equally faithful to fulfill his promises. His people had our aid. This is the kind of prayer that Christ meant The shadows of death are gathering round, now returned in penitence and faith to keep his com- when lie said, " Pray without ceasing." We are not And the cross must follow Gethsemane. mandments; and God himself had said that if they would Darker and darker the gloom must fall, to make ejaculatory prayer a substitute for public or Filled is the cup—he must drink it all I do this, even though they were cast out into the utter- family worship, or for secret devotion ; but it is a Oh. think of his sorrow, that we may know most part of the earth, he would gather them thence, blessed resource, at our command under circumstances His wondrous love in his wondrous woe ! and would cause the light of his countenance again to when other forms of prayer may be, impossible. Toilers —Frances Ridley Havergal. shine upon them. This promise had been given more in the busy marts of trade, crowded and almost over- than a thousand years before ; but it had stood un- whelmed with financial' perplexities, travelers by sea changed through all the centuries. God's word can- and land, when threatened by some great danger, can 6tureat gVxtido„ not fail. thus commit themselves to divine guidance and pro- Nehemiah's faith and courage strengthen as he tection. And in every circumstance and condition NEHEMIAH DESIRES TO RESTORE grasps the promise. His mouth is filled with holy of life the soul weighed down with grief or care, or as- JERUSALEM. arguments. He points to the dishonor that would be sailed by temptation, may thus find comfort, support, cast upon God, were his people, now that they have and succor in the unfailing love and power of a cov- BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. returned to him, to be left in their state of weakness enant-keeping God. NEHEMIATI, the Hebrew exile, occupied a position of and oppression. Nehemiah and Artaxerxes stand face to face,—the influence and honor in the Persian Court. As cup- Nehemiah had often poured out his soul thus before one a servant, of a. down-trodden race, the other the bearer to the king, he was familiarly admitted to the God in behalf of his people. Day and night had he monarch of the world's great empire. But infinitely royal presence, and by virtue of this intimacy, and his offered this prayer. And as he prayed, a holy purpose greater than the disparity of rank is the moral distance own high abilities and tritel fidelity, he became the had been-forming in his mind, that if he could obtain which separate s them. Nehemiah has complied with the monarch's counselor. Yet in that heathen land, sur- the consent of the king. and the necessary aid in pro- invitation of the King of kings, " Let him take hold rounded by royal pomp and splendor, he did not forget curing implements and material, he would 'himself of my strength, that he may make peace w ith me, and the God of his fathers, or the people who had been in- undertake the arduous task of rebuilding the ruined he shall make peace with me." He has enlisted in his trusted with the holy oracles. With deepest interest, walls of Jerusalem, and seeking to restore the national behalf a power in whose hand is the heart of kings, even his heart turned toward Jerusalem, and his hopes and strength. And now in closing his prayer he entreats as the rivers of Water, and who " turneth it whither- joys were bound up with her prosperity. the Lord to grant him favor in the sight of the king, soever he will." The silent petition sent. up to heaven Days of peculiar trial and affliction had come to the that this cherished plan may be carried out. was the same that he had offered for many weeks, that chosen city. Messengers from Judah. described to For months he was compelled to wait for a favor- God would prosper his request. And now, taking Nehemiah its condition. The second temple had been able opportunity to present his request to the king. courage at the thought that he has a Friend, omnis- reared, and portions of the city rebuilt ; but its pros- During this period, while his heart was oppressed with cient and all-powerful, to work it; his behalf, the man perity was impeded, the temple services disturbed, and grief, he constantly endeavored-to carry a cheerful and of God calmly makes known to the king his desire to the people kept in constant alarm, by the fact that its happy countenance. In his seasons of retirement, be realeased for a time from his office at the court, and walls were still in ruins, and its gates burned with many were the prayers, the penitential confessions, and be authorized to build up the waste places of Jerusalem, fire.
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